2026:CGHC:10028 Digitally signed by VAISHALI NAFR VAISHALI LUCKY LUCKY NAGARIA NAGARIA Date:

2026.02.27

13:33:38 HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR +0530 MCRC No. 412 of 2026 • Tarlochan Singh S/o Shri Sandhu Singh Aged About 60 Years R/o -

Village - Bhojemajra, P.S. And Tehsil - Chamkaur Sahib, District -

Rupnagar (Ropar), Punjab.

... Applicant versus • State of Chhattisgarh Through District Magistrate - Mahasamund, District - Mahasamund (C.G.)

... Respondent (Cause title is taken from Case Information System)

For Applicant : Mr. Jaydeep Singh Yadav, Advocate For Respondent/State : Mr. Shaleen Singh Baghel, Government Advocate Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice

Order on Board

26.02.2026

1. The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section

483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No.141/2018, registered at Police Station – Patewa, District – Mahasamund (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 420, 409, 406, 120-B of IPC, Sections 3, 4, 5, 6 of Prize Chit Funds and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978 and Section 3, 6 and 10 of the Chhattisgarh Protections of Depositors Interest Act, 2005.

2. The case of the prosecution, is that facts involved in the present case is that it is in relation to the commission of criminal offences by the Company PACL Ltd., PGF Ltd., its directors and other related entities while operating Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) by taking deposits from the investors, in which the Applicant herein has been arrayed as one of the accused. It is submitted that after the FIR against the Directors and related entities, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had submitted the chargesheets and thereafter further several FIRS have been filed in various states. There were complaints filed in the state of Chhattisgarh as well, including FIR No.142/2018 before the P.S.- Patewa by one Devraj Sahu against one Manohar Sahu. It is pertinent to mention that the Applicant is not even named in the said FIR, hence there is no specific allegation and/or instance mentioned against him. Later after the completion of the investigation, the police then filed the charge-sheet under 420, 409, 406, 120 B of IPC, section 3,4,5,6 of Prize Chit Funds and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978 & section 3, 6 and 10 of the Chhattisgarh Protection of CAS Me anntore Ali). Depositors Interest Act, 2005. Significantly, the Applicant herein filed a regular bail application before the Ld. Sessions Court, Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh wherein the co-accused persons have been enlarged bail by this Hon'ble Court. However, the Ld. Trial Court, Mahasamund failed to take into consideration pertinent facts which clearly show that no offence was committed by the Applicant, and it dismissed the bail application on erroneous basis. Hence this bail application.

3. It is argued by the learned counsel for the applicant that the applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in this case and there are total 32 criminal cases registered against the present applicant, out of which 16 cases are registered in the State of Chhattisgarh, in 10 of which the applicant has been released on bail. It is also contended that one co-accused has already been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in MCRCA No.1329 of 2018 vide order dated 31.10.2018 and other two co-accused persons have already been enlarged on bail by this Court in MCRC No.6859 of 2025 and 5313 of 2023 vide orders dated 01.09.2025 and 26.09.2025 respectively. Copy of the same are annexed herewith as Annexure- A/9 (colly). The charge-sheet has been filed in this case and the applicant is in jail since 12.08.2021 and trial is likely to take quite long time for its conclusion, therefore, he prays for grant of bail to the applicant on the ground of parity.

4. On the other hand, the learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that applicant is a resident of th